Arxiu Sonor de la Ràdio a Catalunya (UAB) awarded by the Federació Catalana d’Empreses de Telecomunicacions

On 19 May the Arxiu Sonor de la Ràdio a Catalunya (UAB) received an award at the XXV Connexió Awards, organised annually by FECEMINTE. The awards ceremony took place at the DMTforum 2026 event in Barcelona, at the Espai Can Tiana of the Comisión Nacional del Mercado y la Competencia (CNMC).

This project, with a clear commitment to public service, is jointly promoted by the Institute of Communication (InCom-UAB) and the Communication Library and General Newspaper Archives of the UAB. It includes the collaboration of the Xarxa Audiovisual Local and the Federació Catalana de Mitjans Locals de Catalunya, and is inspired by the UNESCO Memory of the World programme, aimed at safeguarding oral tradition and sound heritage.

"With the Arxiu Sonor de la Ràdio a Catalunya we make an almost intangible heritage, the radiophonic voice, available to everyone. The radiophonic voice is a heritage in the shadows, often neglected, far from the level of care that the written word receives", highlights Tomàs Fabregat, head of the Communication Library and General Newspaper Archives (UAB).

During his speech, he also expressed special thanks to the Institute of Communication (InCom-UAB) and to Cinto Niqui, "the soul of the initiative, for his dedication and perseverance", and to the team of the Communication Library and General Newspaper Archives (UAB).

A unique and distinctive project

The Arxiu Sonor de la Ràdio a Catalunya (UAB) is a unique and distinctive project in Catalonia. It was born in February 2023, with 2,500 recordings. Three years later it contains more than 15,000 recordings from Catalan and Spanish stations transmitting on the broadcasting bands of Catalonia, and from Catalan radio stations that distribute their content over the internet, between the years 1924 and 2026.

A significant part of the recordings comes from the Community Radio sector and municipal stations, which highlights the role of radio in social movements, education and local information. The collection also includes fragments from public and private radio stations, as well as international broadcasts in the Catalan language transmitted on shortwave.

This is the second recognition the project receives, after the Honourable Mention at the Ràdio Associació 2025 Awards.